Change USB COM port description of the "Arduino UNO R3" [SOLVED]

Using Arduino Programming Questions
1

Hello everybody,

I'd like to change the COM name assigned to the Arduino COM port on windows.
By default the string is "Arduino UNO R3" for all the arduino connected to a PC. It would be very nice to assign different names when more than one Arduino is connected to a PC, so a software could recognize automatically different boards without relying to device descriptions and not the COM numbers (which could change).

In my opinion a re-programming of the Atmega16u2 is required, since I think the COM description should be "stored" there.
I searched for the atmega usb module firmware, and I found it on \hardware\arduino1\firmwares.
Here the hex files and firmware sources are provided.
The one written by default in the Arduino UNO R3 board (I checked with Atmel FLIP software) is Arduino-COMBINED-dfu-usbserial-atmega16u2-Uno-Rev3.hex.
I tried to search the string "Arduino UNO R3" in the source files but I didn't find it, so I don't know where I can change the device description.

Do anyone knows how to reach the goal?

Arduinos.jpg
Arduinos.jpg468×621 105 KB

2

I don't have an answer for you. I just thought it's funny that there's a pig flying in your picture XD

3

Apparently I got the solution!

The description of the USB device is stored on the inf file used when connecting the arduino for the first time.

Indeed, the file \arduino-1.0.1\drivers\Ardunio UNO REV3.inf ends with the following code:

;------------------------------------------------------------------------------
;  String Definitions
;------------------------------------------------------------------------------
;Modify these strings to customize your device
;------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Strings]
MFGFILENAME="CDC_vista"
DRIVERFILENAME ="usbser"
MFGNAME="Arduino LLC (www.arduino.cc)"
INSTDISK="Arduino UNO R3 Driver Installer"
DESCRIPTION="Arduino UNO R3"
SERVICE="USB RS-232 Emulation Driver"

And here the "famous" string "Arduino UNO R3" is defined!

I therefore created a copy of the file, with different name, and with a different string for the description.
Then I updated the driver installation for one of the two arduino connected to my pc, and now the two Arduinos are happily different!

However this differentiation has to be performed each time you connect an arduino to a new pc.
I would have liked this information had been written directly on the card, so you do not have to the operation for every PC, but for now this solution does the job.

PS: the "flying pig" of my wallpaper entered on the picture... he is vain... XD